Mayes returns to Kansas City to once again take the stage as Scarpia, a role for which he has been lauded. All is fair in love and war. But for Rome’s celebrated opera singer, Tosca, all is not well. Fueled by jealousy, the Chief of Police pursues her artist lover for alleged treasonous acts, pausing only to pursue Tosca with a decidedly different set of acts in mind. From the start, Puccini’s penchant for verismo is as present as ever, and to further tighten the tension, each act plays out in real time – packing twists and terrors by the truckload into one 24-hour period. Also present is Puccini’s unrivaled ear for melodies that swirl like smoke trails, forming soft stacks of billowing clouds. But we know that eventually, all that heavy, haunting beauty will begin to block out the sun. Facing ruthless tyranny and torture, Tosca’s revenge is bathed in verismo violence and sealed with a kiss. She lived for art and love and her willingness to trust an evil man doesn’t end well.
Performances run from April 30 to May 8. More information available at kcopera.org.